Office of the Premier

To help spark B.C. innovation, economic growth and new jobs, the provincial government is investing in tech-based research and advanced training opportunities in all parts of the province, Premier John Horgan announced today at the #BCTECH Summit.
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Advanced Education, Skills and Training

Engineering students in Prince George now have access to a state-of-the-art research facility to create sustainable wood engineering solutions, with the opening of the Wood Innovation Research Laboratory at the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC).
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Attorney General

The Government of British Columbia is introducing changes to legislation aimed at reversing ICBC’s skyrocketing legal and administrative costs, and making insurance rates more affordable for B.C. drivers, Attorney General David Eby announced today.
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Children and Family Development

Katrine Conroy, Minister of Children and Family Development, and Katrina Chen, Minister of State for Child Care, have issued the following statement recognizing the importance of Child Care Month in B.C.:
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Citizens' Services

Internet service providers and other community-based organizations will soon be eligible to apply for new $16 million grant funding to improve connectivity in rural, remote and Indigenous areas in B.C., announced Jinny Sims, Minister of Citizens’ Services.
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Education

Students at 51 schools throughout the province will have new playgrounds when they return to school in September, as part of a new playground fund that will take fundraising pressure off of parents, announced Premier John Horgan.
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Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources

The Province is making clean transportation more affordable and accessible for British Columbians, with incentives and one of Canada’s largest networks of charging and fuelling stations, announced Michelle Mungall, Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources on Clean Energy Vehicle Day.
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Environment and Climate Change Strategy

Three provincial parks will be renamed to reflect their historic and cultural significance as part of reconciliation efforts with Indigenous peoples, if proposed legislative amendments introduced are passed.
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Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development

As the Province responds to ongoing flooding, and in advance of the 2018 wildfire season, government is acting on some of the recommendations in the report, Addressing the New Normal: 21st Century Disaster Management in British Columbia, announced Doug Donaldson, Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development.
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Health

Minister of Health Adrian Dix has announced that the Province is creating 200 new nurse practitioner (NP) positions to support patients as part of a shift to a team-based primary health-care system.
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Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation

British Columbia’s Aboriginal friendship centres have access to reliable, dedicated funding for the first time thanks to Budget 2018, ensuring their critical services for urban Indigenous peoples into the future.
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Jobs, Trade and Technology

Premier John Horgan and Bruce Ralston, Minister of Jobs, Trade and Technology, have issued the following statement in response to Amazon’s announcement that it will create 3,000 new jobs in British Columbia by 2022, in addition to the 1,000 new jobs the company announced in November 2017:
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Labour

First responders, sheriffs and correctional officers will have greater access to services and compensation for mental disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that can arise from traumatic workplace incidents, as a result of legislative amendments announced by Labour Minister Harry Bains.
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Municipal Affairs and Housing

The Province of British Columbia is continuing to take bold action to address both housing demand and supply by cracking down on tax evasion on pre-sale condo assignments, giving local governments the power to protect and encourage the building of rentals, and requiring communities to assess their housing needs.
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Tourism, Arts and Culture

The provincial government welcomed members of the North American Indigenous Games (NAIG) Council to Victoria with an announcement of $3.5 million in support for the 2020 Games bid by the Songhees First Nation.
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Transportation and Infrastructure

The Province is making clean transportation more affordable and accessible for British Columbians, with incentives and one of Canada’s largest networks of charging and fuelling stations, announced Michelle Mungall, Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources on Clean Energy Vehicle Day.
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Contact

Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development

As the Province responds to ongoing flooding, and in advance of the 2018 wildfire season, government is acting on some of the recommendations in the report, Addressing the New Normal: 21st Century Disaster Management in British Columbia, announced Doug Donaldson, Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development.
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Featured Services

The British Columbia government is bringing an end to the hunting of grizzly bears throughout the province, Doug Donaldson, Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, and George Heyman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, announced today.

“Through consultations this past fall, we have listened to what British Columbians have to say on this issue and it is abundantly clear that the grizzly hunt is not in line with their values,” Donaldson said. “Our government continues to support hunting in this province and recognizes our hunting heritage is of great importance to many British Columbians.”

The spring grizzly bear hunt was scheduled to open on April 1, 2018, but the ban on hunting for resident and non-resident hunters takes effect immediately.

“Our government is committed to improving wildlife management in B.C., and today’s announcement, along with a focused grizzly bear management plan, are the first steps in protecting one of our most iconic species,” Heyman said. “We also want to promote the healthy grizzly bear viewing economy in B.C. and give everyone the tremendous opportunity to see these incredible animals in their natural habitat.”

“After years of work on this file, my colleagues and I are absolutely overjoyed this decision has finally been made,” said Adam Olsen, Green MLA for Saanich North and the Islands. “The results of the consultation were clear and government has listened. We couldn’t be more thrilled.”

In August 2017, government announced that, effective Nov. 30, 2017, it would end trophy hunting of grizzly bears and stop all hunting of grizzly bears in the Great Bear Rainforest. Government also announced it would launch a consultation process on regulations to support a sustenance hunt, while ending the trophy hunt.

Through the consultation process with First Nations, stakeholder groups and the public, 78% of respondents recommended the hunt be stopped entirely.

First Nations will still be able to harvest grizzly bears pursuant to Aboriginal rights for food, social, or ceremonial purposes, or treaty rights.

There are an estimated 15,000 grizzly bears in British Columbia.

Provincial government staff will be implementing recommendations from the recent Auditor General report on grizzly bear management. The government will also be moving forward with a broader consultation process on a renewed wildlife management strategy for the province in the new year.

Media Contacts

Media Relations

Media Relations

Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy250 953-3834

Backgrounders

Summary of grizzly bear engagement process

In August 2017, the Government of British Columbia made a public commitment to close the grizzly bear hunt in the Great Bear Rainforest and end grizzly bear trophy hunting in the remainder of the province after the 2017 fall grizzly bear hunt concluded on Nov. 30, 2017.

Two policy intent papers were developed and made available to key stakeholder groups and First Nations for their input, and several meetings were held. A total of 4,180 emails were received. Very few respondents simply supported the ban on the trophy hunt as proposed. The majority of responses were from those requesting that government “ban grizzly bear hunting in all parts of the province”.

Emails and letters were also sent to wildlife stakeholders and non-government organizations involved in grizzly bear research and management. Several meetings were held with most of these organizations and some letters were also received. Many of the same issues that were raised during public engagement were also raised by stakeholders.

Emails and letters were also sent to more than 200 First Nations throughout the province regarding the grizzly bear trophy hunting ban. This included 41 First Nations that either overlap or are adjacent to the Great Bear Rainforest. Meetings were also set up with First Nations. Treaty First Nations will continue to be able to harvest grizzly bears and possess all parts of grizzly bears when the harvest is done, pursuant to treaty rights.

Summary of Feedback - The issues raised, in descending order of frequency, included:

Hunt is no longer appropriate

Too many loopholes in the proposed regulations

Wasteful to leave anything behind after an animal is killed

Lack of significance of the meat hunt for grizzly bears

Economics of grizzly bear hunting

Hunting as a management tool

Population dynamics of grizzly bear

Need to focus on habitat management of grizzly bear

Urban/rural split around grizzly bear hunting

Hunting by First Nations

Lack of enforcement

Trophy terminology

A more comprehensive summary report is being prepared for later release.